In general, connectors for use in mobile phones, charge coupled device (CCD) cameras and the like are much thinner and having contacts arranged in extremely narrow pitches (so-called lighter and more compact connectors). These connectors each mainly comprise a housing, contacts and a slider to embrace a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable between the housing and the slider. To embrace the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable by the housing and the slider, various methods may be considered, and there have been used constructions in many cases that after a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable has been inserted into the housing, the slider is inserted into the housing to press the board or cable against the contacts.
The housing is provided with a required number of inserting holes for inserting the contacts and also a fitting opening for inserting a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable.
As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, each of the contacts 64 is substantially U-shaped and mainly comprises a contact portion 22 adapted to contact the circuit board or flat cable, a connection portion 24 to be connected to a circuit board or the like, and a fixed portion 42 to be fixed to the housing 62. The contacts 64 are fixed to the housing 62 by press-fitting or the like.
For example, the slider 66 is substantially in the form of a wedge as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B. The slider 66 is inserted into the housing 62 after the flexible printed circuit board 40 or flexible flat cable has been inserted into the housing 62 with the required number of contact 64 installed. Such a slider 66 mainly comprises a mounting portion 74 to be mounted in the housing 62 and an urging portion 68 for urging the circuit board 40 or flat cable against the contact portions 22 of the contacts 64. The slider 66 is temporarily inserted into the housing 62, prior to the insertion of the circuit board or flat cable. After the insertion of the circuit board or flat cable, the slider 66 is inserted into the housing 62 again so that the urging portion 68 of the slider 66 is positioned in parallel with the circuit board 40 or flat cable to cause the circuit board or flat cable to be urged against the contact portions 22 of the contacts 64.
Other than these, there have been constructions for bringing contacts into contact with a connecting object such as a flexible printed circuit board or the like by the use of a pivoting member or the like as disclosed in the following patent literatures.
“Patent Literature 1”
According to the Abstract of Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2002-270,290, this invention has an object to provide a connector of lower geometry or miniaturization in height including an actuator to be operated by a slight actuating force and enabling contacts to move large distances to perform reliable connection of the contacts. The actuator includes cam portions and an actuating portion and is formed between the cam portions and the actuating portion with relief grooves into and from which the forward ends of spring portions of the contacts are inserted and removed for the purpose of obtaining a further lower geometry connector. When the actuator is rotated clockwise about its fulcrum point through 90 degrees, the cam portions cause the spring portions and connection spring portions to be elastically deformed, thereby embracing the flexible circuit board between projections of the contact portions of the contacts to achieve electrical connection between patterns of the circuit board and a printed board through terminals of the contacts. A ceiling portion of an insulator or housing covers the contact portions of the contacts, and the lower portion below the ceiling portion on the front side is formed with a guide for inserting the circuit board into the connector. By the way, the claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2002-270,290 recites that in a connector including contacts, an insulator for holding the contacts, and an actuator rotatably mounted on the insulator and causing the contacts to be elastically deformed to bring them into contact with a connecting object, the contacts each consist of a first beam having a contact portion at its one end adapted to contact the connecting object and an actuated portion at the other end adapted to be actuated by the actuator, a second beam having a contact portion at its one end adapted to contact the connecting object and a terminal at the other end to be connected to a printed substrate, and a connecting spring for connecting the first and second beams, and said insulator has a ceiling portion for covering at least the contact portions of the contacts on the fitting side and said ceiling portion formed with a guide for guiding the insertion of the connecting object. Claim 2 recites a connector of the contacts each of which has at least one contact portion having in the proximity of the connecting spring an inclined portion inclining toward the connecting object. Claim 3 recites a connector of the actuator having an actuating portion, cam portions for actuating the actuated portions of the contacts, and relief groves positioned between the actuating portion and the cam portions so that in the state that the connecting object is not connected to the connector, the actuated portions can be inserted into the relief grooves. Claim 4 recites that in a connector including contacts, an insulator holding the contacts and an actuator rotatably mounted on the insulator and causing the contacts to be elastically deformed to bring them into contact with a connecting object, said contacts each consist of a first beam having a contact portion at its one end adapted to contact the connecting object and an actuated portion at the other end adapted to be actuated by the actuator, a second beam having a contact portion at its one end adapted to contact the connecting object and a terminal at the other end to be connected to a printed substrate, and a connecting spring for connecting the first and second beams, said contact portion of the first beam having a first projection and a second projection extending toward the connecting object and arranged side by side in the inserting direction of the connecting object, and said contact portion of the second beam having a third projection and a fourth projection extending toward the connecting object and arranged side by side in the inserting direction of the connecting object, so that depending upon the third projection being positioned between the first and second projections or the first projection being positioned between the third and fourth projections, the first and second projections or the third and fourth projections come into contact with the connecting object.
“Patent Literature 2”
According to the Abstract of Japanese Patent Application Opened No. H11-31,561/1999, this invention has an object to provide a connector superior in operationality and capable of reliably connecting flat wires. When a pivoting member provided at an opening on the opposite side of an inserting opening for flat wires is at the starting position of the pivotal movement, the press-connecting portions of the pivoting member do not abut against peripheries of corners of contact elements, and the connector is under the opened condition in which flat wires are freely inserted or removed. By pivotally moving the pivoting member the press-connecting portions of the pivoting member press the peripheries of corners of the contact elements to cause elastic deformation so that the contact portions are forced to connect the flat wires. At the terminal position of the pivotal movement, the press-connecting portions of the pivoting member ride over the apexes of the corners of the contact elements to cause forces in directions to maintain the connection state by elastic restoring force of the contact elements. By the way, claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. H11-31,561/1999 recites a connector comprising a housing having an inserting opening for flat wires and an opening on the opposite side thereof, a plurality of contact elements installed in the interior of the housing, and a pivoting member rotatably supported on the housing on the opening side, said pivoting member having press-connecting portions which are not pressed to the contact elements to allow the flat wires to be inserted and removed into and from the inserting opening of the housing at the starting position of the pivoting member, while the press-connecting portions are pressed against the contact elements to cause the contact elements to be elastically deformed so that the contact portions of the contact elements are brought into close contact with the flat wires at the terminal position of the pivoting member. Claim 2 recites a connector of the pivoting member whose press-connecting portions are caused to be pressed against peripheries of corners of the contact elements, and whose press-connecting portions are on one side of a line connecting the center of pivotal movement and apexes of the corners at the starting position of the pivotal movement, on progressing of the pivotal movement the press-connecting portions are moving over the line, and the press-connecting portions are on the other side of the line at the terminal position of the pivotal movement. Claim 3 recites a connector of the pivoting member whose press-connecting portions are pressed against peripheries of the corners on one ends of the contact elements so that the contact portions on the other ends of the contact elements are brought into close contact with the inserted flat wires. Claim 4 recites a connector of contact elements each having a pair of contact portions opposed to each other, and the press-connecting portions of the pivoting member are pressed against the contact elements at the terminal position of the pivoting member so that one of each pair of contact portions is elastically deformed onto the other side to embrace the inserted flat wires by both the contact portions.
“Patent Literature 3”
According to the Abstract of Japanese Patent Application Opened No. H11-307,198/1999, this invention has an object to provide a connector connected to a plurality of terminals and holding a flexible printed circuit board superior in operationality and holding power. The disclosed connector for a printed circuit board includes a housing formed with inserting groove for inserting the flexible printed circuit board, a plurality of contacts provided side by side whose contact portions are arranged to extend and retract relative to the inserting groove, and an actuating member arranged pivotally movably between a connecting and a disconnecting position. The actuating member is provided with a plurality of cams so that when the actuating member is in the connecting position, contacts are urged with their actuated portions by the cams to extend their contact portions into the inserting groove thereby enabling the contact portions to be pressed and connected to terminals of the flexible printed circuit board and holding the circuit board. While when the actuating member is in the disconnecting position, some contacts are urged with their actuated portions by the cams to slightly extend their contact portions into the inserting groove so as to abut against the flexible printed circuit board, thereby temporarily holding the circuit board, while the contact portions of the remaining contacts are retracted from the inserting groove. By the way, claim 1 of the Patent Literature 3 recites that in a connector for a printed circuit board, the connector provided with a plurality of contacts arranged side by side for connecting a plurality of terminals of a printed circuit board or the like in the lump, comprises a housing having an inserting groove for inserting the printed circuit board or the like, said contacts arranged to extend and retract relative to said inserting groove, and an actuating member provided movably between a connecting and a disconnecting position, and when the actuating member is in the connecting position, the contacts are urged by the actuating member so as to extend into the inserting groove to press the terminals of the flexible printed circuit board or the like so that the contacts are connected to the terminals and hold the printed circuit board or the like, and when the actuating member is in the disconnecting position, the some of the contacts extend slightly into the inserting groove to abut against and temporarily hold the printed circuit board or the like, and the remaining contacts retract relative to the inserting groove. Claim 2 recites a connector for a printed circuit board in that the plurality of the contacts are formed in the same shape and the actuating member is provided with a plurality of cams, and when the actuating member is in the connecting position, the contacts are urged by the cams to extend into the inserting groove, and when the actuating member is in the disconnecting position, the some contacts are urged by the cams to slightly extend into the inserting groove and the remaining contacts are retracted relative to the inserting groove.
“Patent Literature 4 ”
Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-71,160 discloses a connector capable of securely urging a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable to contact portions of contacts with the aid of a slider without degrading strength of respective members and specifications or customers demands, and capable of being used with high operationality and fully complying with requirements such as narrower pitches of conductors and lower geometry or miniaturization in height. This connector comprises contacts each comprising a contact portion, a connection portion, and an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and the connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion extending from the elastic portion in a position opposite to the connection portion, and the contact portion, elastic portion, fulcrum portion and connection portion being arranged in the form of a crank, and a slider comprising urging portions arranged continuously in the longitudinal direction and pivotally mounted on a housing so that the urging portions are pivotally moved in a space between the connection portions and pressure receiving portions of the contacts. Claim 1 of the Patent Literature 4 recites a connector removably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, including a required number of contacts having a contact portion adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, a housing holding and fixing the contacts and having an inserting opening for inserting the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, and a slider for urging the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable to the contacts, wherein the contacts each comprise an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and a connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion extending from the elastic portion and located in a position opposite to the connection portion, and the connection portion, elastic portion, fulcrum portion and connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a crank, and the slider is provided with urging portions continuously arranged in its longitudinal direction and is mounted on the housing so that the urging portions are pivotally moved in a space between the connection portions and pressure receiving portions of the contacts. Claim 2 recites a connector removably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, including a required number of contacts having a contact portion adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, a housing holding and fixing the contacts and having an inserting opening for inserting the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, and a slider for urging the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable to the contacts, wherein two kinds of contacts are arranged alternately staggered, the contacts of one kind each comprising an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and a connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion extending from the elastic portion in a position opposite to the connection portion, and the contact portion, elastic portion, fulcrum portion and connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a crank, and the contacts of the other kind each comprising an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and a connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion extending in the opposite direction of the contact portion, and the contact portion, elastic portion, fulcrum portion, and connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a U-shape, and the slider is provided with urging portions arranged continuously in its longitudinal direction and mounted on the housing so that the urging portions are pivotally moved in a space between the connection portions and the pressure receiving portions of the contacts of the one kind and between the pressure receiving portions and the housing of the contacts of the other kind. Claim 3 recites that when the urging portions of the slider are pivotally moved in the space between the connection portions and the pressure receiving portions of the contacts of the one kind, the pressure receiving portions are raised by the urging portions so that the elastic portions are tilted about the fulcrum portions toward the contact portions to urge the contact portions against the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable. Claim 4 recites that the pressure receiving portions of the contacts of the one kind or the other kind are each provided with a projection so that the urging portions of the slider are prevented from moving toward the connection portions of the contacts of the one kind. Claim 5 recites that the urging portions of the slider are of an elongated shape. Claim 6 recites that the slider is formed with a required number of anchoring grooves independent from one another, which are adapted to engage the projections of the contacts, respectively. Claim 7 recites the elongated urging portions being in the form of an ellipsoid. Claim 8 recites a connector of contacts each provided with a further contact portion at a location extending from the fulcrum portion and adapted to contact the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable. Claim 9 recites that the contacts of the other kind are each provided with an extension portion extending from the fulcrum in the opposite direction of the connection portion, and the slider is mounted on the housing so that the urging portions of the slider are pivotally moved in the space between the extension portions and the pressure receiving portions. Claim 10 recites a connector of the contacts of the other kind each provided between the fulcrum portion and the connection portion with a contact portion adapted to contact the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable.
In recent years, with miniaturization of electrical and electronic appliances, the connectors 60 of this kinds have been strongly required to be more miniaturized, particularly to have a flat geometry or reduced overall height. In the connector 60 of the prior art described above, there are six layers in height as shown in FIG. 12B (that is, the upper and lower walls of the housing 62, the contact portion 22 and the receiving portion 70 of each of the contacts 64, the urging portion 68 of the slider 66 and the flexible printed circuit board 40 or flexible flat cable). In order to reduce the connector's height as much as possible, it is possible to remove the receiving portion 70 of each of the contacts 64 to obtain five layers in height (that is, the upper and lower walls of the housing 62, the contact portion 22 of each of the contacts 64, the urging portion 68 of the slider 66 and the flexible printed circuit board 40 or flexible flat cable). However, it is impossible to more reduce the height of the connector in consideration of strength of the respective members and specifications or customer's demands. With the connector 60 described above, moreover, the insertion of the circuit board 40 or flat cable, and urging of the contact portions 22 of the contacts 64 against the circuit board 40 or flat cable take place only on the side of the fitting opening of the housing 62, so that as the connector is miniaturized, such operations would become more difficult. In the case that extremely narrow pitches of contacts of the connector 60 are required, moreover, the insertion of contacts into the connector from only one side would prevent or impede the required miniaturization of the connector.
Under such circumstances, the connectors of a so-called “back-lock type” as in the Patent Literatures 1 to 4 have been proposed, wherein the pivoting member is operated on the opposite side of the fitting opening into which a connecting object such as a flexible printed circuit board is inserted, thereby causing the contacts to be elastically deformed to bring the contact portions of the contacts into contact with the connecting object.
With the construction disclosed in the Patent Literature 1, as the cam portions of the actuator are rotated about one point as a fulcrum, the cam portions could not perform a compact rotation, and the connector could not achieve more miniaturization in height and could not prevent the permanent set in fatigue of springs and undue increase in locking force. Moreover, applied torque in the clockwise direction could not be certainly stopped or a location at which application of torque should be ended is not clear.
With the construction disclosed in the Patent Literature 2, the miniaturization in height could not be achieved, and a large operating force to be applied to the actuator is required to obtain a desired contact force between the contacts and board or cable so that reliability of contact would be poor. Moreover, as the actuator is rotated about one point of fulcrum, a compact rotation could not be obtained, and the permanent set in fatigue of springs and undue increase in locking force could not be prevented and applied annular moment or torque could not be certainly stopped.
Similarly to the Patent Literature 1, even with the construction disclosed in the Patent Literature 3, as the pivoting member is rotated about one point of the pivotal axis X, the compact rotation could not be obtained and more miniaturization in height could not be achieved. Moreover, the permanent set in fatigue of the springs and undue increase in locking force could not be prevented, and applied annular moment or torque could not be certainly stopped.
With the construction of the Patent Literature 4 (FIGS. 2 and 6 thereof), as the fitting opening into which the connecting object such as a flexible printed circuit board or the like is inserted is chamfered, when the connecting object is accidentally subjected to an external force in an upward direction, the housing would be likely to be raised so that the contacts also would be raised to make it impossible to obtain stable contacting force (particularly, in the case of contacts positioned on bottom side), resulting into defective or failed connection. This problem would be particularly acute when a connector is miniaturized, particularly with reduced overall height and accidentally subjected to undue external forces in the case of rotating an actuator or pivoting member on the opposite side of the fitting opening. Concerning this tendency, the same holds true in the connectors disclosed in the Patent Literatures 1 to 3.
In the case of the Patent Literatures 1 to 3, moreover, the contact portions of the contacts provided on the upper side and further the front ends or entire portions of the contacts on the opposite side thereof are held by an insulator or housing, so that the miniaturization in height of the connectors would be limited or impeded.